Studies in the historical development of the Ossetic vocalism

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Ossetic, an archaic Iranian language spoken by around half a million people in the Caucasus, is the last remnant of North Iranian tribes like the Cimmerians and Scythians, who once roamed the Eurasian steppes. Surrounded by non-Iranian peoples, Ossetic retains a wealth of historical information reflecting contacts with diverse groups, including Caucasians, Finno-Ugrians, Slavs, Goths, Greeks, Turks, and Mongols. Despite its isolation, the language has preserved its Iranian character, appearing as conservative as Middle Iranian languages such as Sogdian and Khotanese. This work provides a comprehensive account of significant phonological developments in Ossetic, including apocope, syncope, aphaeresis, i-epenthesis, and the fate of *u, while also addressing the role of accent. These developments have not been systematically treated before. Additionally, the book offers valuable etymological insights, drawing on Vasilij Abaev's Historical-Etymological Dictionary of the Ossetic language. An extensive appendix further explores morphology, discussing several nominal suffixes and verbal endings. This research enhances our understanding of Ossetic and contributes to the fields of Iranian and Caucasian studies.